[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 112 (Thursday, June 29, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO CHERYL DEATLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2017

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to someone who has 
spent her career making a difference in the lives of children across 
Maryland and the National Capital region. I've known Cheryl DeAtley for 
many years and seen her passion and commitment to early childhood 
education up close. Cheryl started as a coordinator for Charles 
County's Judith P. Hoyer Early Child Care and Family Education Center, 
named in honor of my late wife, who dedicated her career to early 
childhood education and achievement as well. Since 2007, she has been 
at the Maryland State Department of Education, overseeing the entire 
network of Judy Centers, as they are known.
  In leading the Judy Centers, Cheryl has presided over a period of 
rapid expansion. Under her guidance, the number of Judy Centers has 
more than doubled, growing from twenty-four locations in 2007 to fifty-
one today. They serve more than 18,000 children across our state, 
helping to close the achievement gap for those entering elementary 
school by ensuring they and their families have access to a range of 
beneficial services. These include early education, medical and dental 
screenings, family literacy courses, and early intervention for 
children with special needs. For parents, adult education takes place 
on-site as well. Judy Centers are a one-stop-shop for low-income 
families to prepare their children to enter school ready to learn and 
grow alongside their peers.
  Cheryl DeAtley has been critical to the program's success. 
Tirelessly, she's written grant proposals, overseen program finances, 
advocated before state and federal agencies, and publicized the merits 
of the Judy Centers in support of expanding the full-service, community 
school model around the country. Particularly, she's been instrumental 
in creating public-private partnerships, such as with the Baltimore 
Community Foundation, to sponsor new Judy Centers. Cheryl has made a 
point of visiting every single Judy Center annually. I've worked 
closely with her to ensure that Judy Centers and the Maryland children 
and families they serve have the resources they need. Sadly for the 
program, Cheryl will be leaving next month to become a Program Manager 
at the non-profit Center for Children for its Healthy Families Southern 
Maryland Program, serving Charles and St. Mary's counties. Thankfully, 
this means Maryland families will continue to benefit from Cheryl's 
talent and experience.
  Earlier in her career, before a stint in the private sector with a 
company operating after-school programs, Cheryl served for seven years 
with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). There, she oversaw 
the GSA's child care program for the entire National Capital Region, 
supervising a network of twenty-six child care centers serving federal 
employees. For her last two years at GSA, Cheryl held the position of 
Child Care Policy Advisor to the Associate Administrator for Child 
Care, bringing her depth and breadth of experience to the shaping of 
nation-wide federal child care policies. Cheryl holds a bachelor's 
degree in Management Studies from the University of Maryland University 
College and a master's degree in Early Childhood Human Development from 
the University of Maryland College Park.
  I want to thank Cheryl for her outstanding contributions to early 
childhood education and to furthering the full-service, community 
school model in Maryland. It's been a real pleasure working with her 
over the years to enhance the work of the Judy Centers, and I look 
forward to working with Cheryl in her new capacity to advance the cause 
of early childhood health and wellness in Maryland's Fifth District. I 
hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Cheryl DeAtley on all 
she has achieved in service to Maryland and wish her well in her next 
endeavors.

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